Permutation lock



' Nov. 19, 19 29. R, K, WINNING HAL 1,736,183

PERMUTATION LOCK I Filed June 1925 6 ,y36 /7 T j I g'laq 4/ E 4-13: 736

ATTORNEYJ:

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED SATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT K. WINNING, OF WAUWATOSA, AND JOEL REX THORP, OF WEST ALLIS, WIS- CONSIN, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE DUDLEY LOCK CORPORA- TION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS PERMUTATION LOCK Application filed June 1,

This invention relates to improvements in permutation locks, and particularly to permutation pad locks.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel,.simp1ified and compact pad lock organization susceptible of manufacture at low expense and unusually free from difficulties incident to breakage or corrosion of its parts during use.

More particularly speakin it is one of the more important objects 0 this invention to provide a pad lock in which springs for the actuation of the bolt are dispensed with and the bolt is actuated manually, either by l manipulation of the knob which controls the permutation disks of the lock or else by manipulation of the shackle itself. This feature has the advantage that it dispenses with the spring which ordinarily actuates the bolt in one direction. Where the lock is in constant use this spring may readily become crystallized in the ordinary lock, andfurthcrmore, if the artsof the lock become corroded, the spring may have inadequate pressure to act properly upon the bolt. With the mechanism of the present invention any desired degree of pressure may be exerted on the bolt to ensure its positive actuation in either of its two directions of movement, and

consequently 1 have eliminated a number of possible sources of trouble.

It is a further object of the invention to make the lock difficult to pick. This desired result is accomplished by the mechanism aforesaid, since there is a strong tendency for a person attempting the unauthorized opening of a lock to subject the shackle to tension and, particularly explained, it is necessary to the operation of this improved lock that the shackle be subjected to pressure forthe purpose of throwing the bolt after the several permutation disks or tumblers have been properly aligned.

4 Other ob ects Wlll appear more particuas will be hereinafter more 1925. Serial No. 33,970.

larly in the discussion of the several parts of the lock and their respective functions.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pad lock embodying this invention, port-ions of the padlock casing wall being broken away to expose the interior structureof the lock.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with' the casing cover and parts mounted thereon wholly removed and the pe mutation disks shown aligned to permit oft he retraction of the bolt.

Figure 3 is a vertical axial section through the lock casing, the permutation disks and spacers loosely mounted therein being removed and the bolt and shackle mechanism being shown in side elevation.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the interior of the lock casing cover, showing a tumbler cam mounted therein.

Figure 5 is a detail view in plan of a spacer used between the permutation disks.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6;6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail taken on the section indicated at 77 in Figure 2.

Like parts are identified by the same refercnce characters throughout the several views.

The lock casing is a shell comprising a body portion 10 in the form of a cup, and a cover plate 11 confined against a shoulder 12 in the annular side wall of the cup by upsetting the periphery 13 of the cup into binding engagement with the cover plate.

If the casing comprising shell 10 and cover 11 is made of brass or other comparatively light-weight, easily worked metal, it becomes desirable to mount the operative parts of the mechanism upon an iron mounting plate 15 which fits Within the cup portion 10 of the lock casiu g and is secured therein by pressure applied laterally and downwardly at the points 16. Upon a central stud 17, having its end riveted to the mounting plate to stand centrally therein, are the usual permutation 90 disks 18 and 19, each of which is both rotatively and axially movable on the stud 17. Each of these disks has a notch 20 in its peripheral margin adapted, in one position of the disks, to receive a bolt hereinafter to be described, whereby to permit the retraction thereof.

Motion is transmitted between the permutation disks by means of lugs formed in their respective faces. Each of the disks has one or more such lugs. The central disk 19 has one upon each of its faces, whereas disk 18 and the cam disk 22 mounted on the cover plate each have but one lug. The form of these lugs is best shown in Figure 2 at 23. The lugs may conveniently be formed by a punching operatlon, where y a punch acting at 24; is forced partially through the permutation disk, leaving a hole as indicated in Figure 2 in one face of the disk at 24, and a round lug or pin projecting from the other face of the disk as shown at 23. One such hole and oppositely projecting lug or pin are also illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 7.

In the manipulation of the combination the lug of one disk will interact with the lug of the next succeeding disk to transmit mo tion positively between the disks, with suitable provision for lost motion to enable the working outof a combination. In order to prevent undesired motion from being transmitted frictionally between the several disks I have provided a novel type of spacer 25 which is shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6 and is axially slidable on a pair of anchor pins 26 received through the apertures 27 in the anchor portion 28 of the spacer. One such spacer is interposed between each consecutive pair of permutation disks. The part of the spacer so interposed comprises an arcuately extending segment 29 having axially ofi'set portions 30 and 31. The portion 30 of the spacing segment maybe in the same plane as the anchor portion 28 of the spacer while the portion 31 is axially offset from such plane as best appears in Figure 6. The axial ofl'set between segmental flanges 30 and 31 not only re-enforces the spacer so as to give it adequate strength but also permits the use of a light-weight material in that it increases the effective thickness of the spacer far beyond the actual thickness of the metal employed.

The permutation cam disk 22 is confined against axial movement with reference to cover plate 11, as will hereinafter be more fully brought out, and the remainder of the set of permutation disks and interposed spacers are all forced in the direction of the cover plate by means of a compression spring 35 seated against mounting plate 15 and acting through a washer The arrangement whereby axial movement of the spacing plates and disks is permitted serves to transmit the pressure of the spring through suc- -termined combination.

incense cessive disks and interposed spacers so that all are subjected to a constant predetermined pressure which holds their faces in frictional engagement. The spacers, being positively anchored against movement in planes transverse to the axis of stud 17, render the device secure against the accidental frictional transmission of motion between the several disks. Furthermore, the arms of the spacing segment 29 are locked outside of the paths of movement of lugs 23 as shown in Figure 2 and, being locked between the peripheries of the disks with which they are in contact, they also secure the disks against rocking movement upon their axes such as might ensue if smaller spacers were used. Spacers of this type are described in our companion application entitled Permutation locks, which issued as'Patent No. 1,655,002, J anuary 3, 1928. r

The permutation cam disk 22 above described is mounted on the reduced extremity 37 of the tubular stem 38 of knob 39. The stem is axially grooved at 40 to receive a tongue 41 on the inner periphery of a collar 42 which encircles the stem and is provided integrally with a pointer 43, This pointer rides over graduations imprinted by pressure in' thecover plate 11 of the lock shell or casing and thereby facilitates the manipulation of the lock in accordance with a prede- The tubular stem 38 of the knob 39 receives the extremity of stud 17 whereby the stud and the knob are mutually guided and positioned. After passing through a suitable aperture in the cover plate 11 this stem is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder against which the cam disk 22 seats and is held by peening or outwardly upsetting the extremity 44 of the handle spindle 38.

The shackle 50 slides through suitable apertures in the side wall of the lock casing and is guided in an apertured ear 51 struck up from the mounting plate 15. washer 52 applied to the long end 54 of the shackle serves as a stop to prevent the shackle from being wholly withdrawn from apertured ear 51. To limit the movement of the shackle in the opposite direction 'a triangular tongue is turned upwardly from the material of mounting plate 15 and is abutted by the extremity of the shackle. The shorter arm 55 of the shackle likewise extends through a suitable aperture in the lock casing or shell and is provided with a bevelled extremity 56 and an inclined notch 57 adjacent such extremity. Into this notch a portion of the bolt 60 hereinafter to be described is receivable to lock the shackle against withdrawal.

The bolt 60 comprises a lever 61'of sheet metal pivoted at 62 on a short pin or stud riveted to the mounting plate 15. Integrally formed with lever 61 are the upturned flanges A split 63 and 64 which are joined at an acute angle and are receivable respectively into the notches 20 of the permutation disks and into the notch 57 of the shackle. The arrangement is such that when the notches 26 of the disk are not aligned flange 64 will be restricted and confined within the notch 57 of the shackle as it is shown in Figure 1. If, however, the notches 20 are aligned, as shown in Figure 2, lever 61 may be swung about its fulcrum on pin 62 so that flange 63 enters notches 20 and flange 64 leaves the notch '57 in the shackle. This swinging or oscillatory movement of the bolt is not produced by any spring as in the ordinary look but is produced by the interaction of the bevelled extremity 56 on shackle arm 55 with a complementary cam surface 65 formed on the margin of the lever plate 61. In other words, after the disks have been properly aligned it is necessary to exert manual downward pressure on the shackle in order that its bevelled surface 56 may interact with cam surface 65 of the bolt to move the bolt to its retracted position. Thereupon an outward pull upon the shackle will withdraw the shorter arm 55 thereof from the lock casing whereby to permit the shackle to be swung about the axis of arm 54 in the usual manner.

Since no springs are used to act upon the bolt it is also necessary to provide means for manually advancing the bolt into engagement with the shackle. For this purpose the permutation cam disk 22 is not provided with the type of notch 20 which is disposed in the peripheries ofdisks 19 and 18. Cam disk 22 is provided with a notch which is equivalent in depth to the notches 20 above de scribed but has obtusely divergent cam surfaces 67 and 68 so designed that upon the rotation of the knob 39 in either direction from the position in which the bolt may be retracted the cam surfaces 67 and 68 will one or the other of them interact with the extremity of flange 63 to oscillate bolt 60 and introduce flange 64 thereof into notch 57 in the shackle.

A portion of the mounting plate is cut away at 70 and flange 64 of the bolt is extended toward the back of the lock to provide a lug 71 which operates in the space left by the cut 70 in the mounting plate. This lug extends across the aperture in the shell through which shackle arm 55 enters and consequently makes the lock secure against picking. It will be noted furthermore that in the lot-king position the bolt flange 64 and lug 71 abut the interior periphery of the shell or lock casing and consequently transmit directly to the casing any pull exerted thereon through the shackle. If it were not for lug 71 an attempt to withdraw the shackle by force would be opposed only by flange 64 located wholly at one side of the shackle,

and in consequence of this lack of balance of the pressures acting on bolt flange 64 it might be possible to shear such flange by exerting a suflicient pull on the shackle. The lug 71, however, sustains with the rest of flange 64 its share of any pressure exerted in an outward direction by the shackle and consequently the bolt structure is materially strengthened and the possibility of shearing the bolt is materially decreased.

In opening this look, knob 39 will be turned manually in oppositedirections in the ordinary way until the permutation disks 18, 19 and 22 have their respective peripheral notches suitably aligned to receive flange 63 of the oscillatory bolt 60. Thereupon a slight pressure exerted on the shackle will, through the interaction of its bevelled extremity 56 with the cam surface 65 of the bolt, cause the bolt to oscillate about its pivot on-pin 62. During such oscillation flange 63 of the bolt will enter notches 20 and flange 64 will be retracted from notch 57 of the shackle. Shackle 50 may now be withdrawn so that its arm 55 leaves the lock casing and the shackle may be swung about the axis of arm 54 in the ordinary manner.

WVhen it is desired to close the lock the shackle is replaced in the position in which it appears in Figure 2, and thereupon the knob 39 is rotated in either direction so that one or the other of its cam surfaces 67 or 68 will interact with flange 63 of the bolt to cause the bolt to oscillate clockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, until flange 63 is outside of the path of movement of the permutation disks and flange 64 is received into notch 57 of the shackle as it appears in Figure 1.

Vs claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with an apertured lock casing and a bolt pivoted therein for oscillation, of a shackle including an arm reciprocable through the aperture of said casing in the general direction of the pivot about which such bolt is oscillatory and provided in its side with a laterally opening notch inclined toward the end of said arm, said bolt being adapted in one position of oscillation to enter saidv notch and to abut the interior of said casing, whereby to transmit to the casing tension strains of said shackle, said boit being formed to abut said casing on both sides of the aperture through which said shackle arm is reciprocable.

in a device of the character described, the combination with a lock casing provided with an aperture in a side wall, of a mounting plate within said casing having a peripheral portion cut away to provide a recess adjacent the aperture in the wall of the casing, a bolt pivoted to said mounting plate including a transverse flange extending into said recess, and a shackle having an arm reciprocable through the aperture in the wall of said casing and provided with a laterally opening notch into which said bolt flange is receivable.

In a device of the character described, the combination with a lock casing provided with an aperture in a side wall, of a mounting plate within said casing having a peripheral portion cut away to provide a recess adjacent the aperture in the wall of the casing, a bolt pivoted to said mounting plate including a transverse flange extending into said recess, and a shackle having an arm reciprocable through the aperture in the wall of said casing and provided with a laterally opening notch into which said bolt flange is receivable, said bolt flange being adapted to abut interiorly the wall of said casing when so received into said notch.

4.. In a device of the character described, the combination with a lock casing, a shackle provided with a notched arm extending thereinto and locking mechanism including a disk having a notch in its periphery, of a bolt o=-rcillatory in said casing between said locking mechanism and said shackle arm and (.0IIlf.)1'lSlll f a plate provided at its end with an upstanding flange receivable alternatively into the notch of said disk or the notch of said arm, the portions of said flange respectively receivable into the notch of said 'disk and of said. arm being angularly related and adapted to enter the notch in said disk substantialy radially while entering the notch in said arm at an obtuse angle with respect to the axis of said arm toward the end thereof. whereby to provide a hook opposing withdrawal of said arm.

In a device of the character described} the con'ibination with a lock casing provided with an aperture in its side wall, of locking mechanism centrally disposed in said casing and con'iprising a disk having a notch in its periphery. a shackle including an arm pro ieeting through the side wall of said casing and provided with an inclined notch opening laterally, and a bolt fulcrumed to move across the interior of said casing and comprising a plate having an upturned flange at its extremity with'angularly related portions adapted respec ively 'to enter alternatively the notch of said disk or the notch of said shackle arm, the flange portion adapted to enter said last mentioned notch being so positioned as to abut the interior of said casing wall adjacent the aperture therein when so engaged in the notch of said shackle arm.

(3. In a lock of the class described, the combination of a lock casing, a shackle mounted in said casing. a pivotally mounted pawl held in contactual engagement in an acutely formed slot in said shackle, tumbler mechanism provided with a plurality of slots adapted to register with each other but to be out of register when said pawl engages said slot, and a shoulder on said pawl abutting against the interior of said lock casing adjacent to the entrance of said shackle whereby to provide added strength to said shackle when in locked position.

7. In a lock of the class described, the combination of a lock casing, a shackle mounted in said casing having one of its ends adapted to be released from engagement in said casing when in unlocked position, a pivotally mounted pawl in said casing adapted to engage in an acutely formed slot in said shackle when in locked position, a tumbler mechanism having a predetermined setting which permits said pawl to be released from engagement in said slot, and also engaging binding against the interior of said casing and also against the free end of said shackle whereby to strengthen the locking engagement of said pawl in said slot.

8. In a lock of the class described, the com bination of a lock casing, a shackle mounted in said casing and provided with a slot therein near the free end thereof, and a locking pawl having a lug adapted to engage in said slotto hold said shackle in locked position, said slot being formed in said shackle at an acute angle with respect to a pulling force attempting to release the free ,end thereof, said lug being formed at a similar angle and binding against the inner side of said casing to reinforce the same when engaging in said slot whereby to increase the effective locking relation therebetween and prevent disengagement of the lug from said slot.

-9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a lock casing, a shackle mounted in said casing, a pivotally mounted pawl held incontactual engagement in a laterally open slot formed in said shackle, tumbler mechanism provided with a plurality of slots adapted to register with each other, but to be out of register when said pawl engages the slot in the shackle. with a shoulder on said pawl abutting against a fixed stop surface within said lock casing.

,10. In a device of the character described, the combination with an apertured lock casing and a pawl pivoted therein for oscillation. of a shackle including an arm reciprocable through the aperture of said casing in the general direction of the pivot about which such pawl is oscillatory and provided in its side with a laterally opening notch adjacent the end of said arin. said pawl being adapted in one position of oscillation to enter said notch and to abut against a fixed stop surface in said lock casing, whereby to transmit to said casing tension strains of said shackle.

11. In a device of the character described the combination with a lock casing provided with an aperture in its side wall, of locking mechanism disposed in said casing and comprising a disk having a notch in its periphcry, a shackle including an arm pro ecting portions provided on said locking pawl for through the side wall of said casing and provided with a laterally opening notch, and a pawl fulcrumed for movement in said casing and comprising a plate having an up-turned flange at its extremity with angularly related portions adapted respectively to enter alternatively the notch of said disk or the notch of said shackle arm, the flange portion adapted to enter said last-mentioned notch being so positioned as to abut against a fixed stop surface in said casing.

ROBERT K. WINNING.

JOEL REX THORP. 

